


Secret Notes

by lzclotho



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Pre-Relationship, Wooing, how do I love you, secret notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-09 23:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2001981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lzclotho/pseuds/lzclotho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma is receiving a series of unsigned notes from what seems to be someone who wants to get to know her better, much better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Noted

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a series on my tumblr, and is created in little tiny chunks there, each one prefaced by one of these secret notes. But since each is very short, only 200-300 words, I will only move them here 1000 words at a time. So if you want to keep up with the actual note entries constantly, visit: http://lzclotho.tumblr.com/tagged/secret-note which will have them all (newest entries appear first)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma receives several notes, each quoting a poetic line, and attempting to tell her how someone feels. But they are all unsigned.

 

> _wanna take naps naked with you_

Emma looked at the note she’d found on her desk; then she looked at it again.  _What is this?_

She looked around to see if anyone else was in the station. She had just come in from patrol, only to grab her non-uniform jacket and head home.

While pullin on her red jacket, outside the window Emma saw Killian heading across the street to Granny’s, walking away from the station.

 _Damn pirate_ , Emma thought. She sighed and crumpled the note in her fist, tossing it in the trash on her way out the door. 

Regina stepped from behind the wall where she had run to hide upon hearing someone coming. She watched Emma walk away.

With a sigh, she retrieved the crumpled paper, smoothed it and folded it, then tucked it away in her coat pocket.

She would obviously have to think of something else.

* * *

 

> _SPEAK low to me, my Saviour, low and sweet_

_(quote source: Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Comfort”, poem)_

Emma’s brow furrowed as she silently read the paper she had pulled from the pocket of her red jacket. It wasn’t much bigger than one of those slips from a fortune cookie.

In fact, when she first stuck her hand in her pocket to avoid anyone seeing it shake reaching for Regina’s back as they walked out of the house with Henry, that’s what she first thought it was, leftover from her and the kid’s trip to Sheng Wang in New York’s Chinatown.

But it wasn’t. It was a note. For her. Just the single line, like the last. But this one, even more lyrical. Had Killian broken out the poetry to woo her? It felt too formal to be from the man’s mind.

 _Saviour._  The British English spelling. Did he really see her that way? She scoffed at herself. There’s no way. He didn’t see her that way, anyway. 

This was Killian Jones, the man who had propositioned her at swordpoint in the Enchanted Forest, not once but multiple times. Who had no qualms about sexual language and innuendo.

But she had been putting him off. Maybe he was trying to soften his approach.

“ _As if_  with those bootheels.”

"What was that?"

Emma looked up to see Snow across the table staring at her. They had all come to Granny’s to celebrate Henry’s birthday with his favorite foods.

She shook her head and crumpled the paper in her hand, tossing it to the floor. “Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

With Henry between her and Emma, Regina winced. With a tap of her finger to her thigh under the table, the scrap floated unseen up to her hand. She tucked it into her coat pocket, alongside the first note. Did she dare try again?

* * *

 

 

> _you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes_

_(quote source: Song of Solomon, bible)_

OK. Emma rolled her eyes. This was getting ridiculous.

This note had been tucked under the wiper on her Bug’s windshield when she emerged from the station. She looked around the street, seeing Regina and Henry walking toward her.

Under the brunette’s gaze Emma reddened; she didn’t want Regina’s mocking, so she dropped it inside her open driver window before gregariously smiling and grabbing Henry’s attention. “Hey, kid! How was school today?”

"Cool," Henry said, shrugging.

Regina, however, didn’t let Emma, as usual, get away with hiding anything. “The Sheriff receives a parking ticket? Though not surprising perhaps if one considers that deathtrap probably violates a dozen clean air laws.”

"Ha ha, Regina," Emma rolled her eyes. She was pleased to see the smirk fade at her ability to let Regina’s pokes roll off her. She could tell it pleased the woman in some way to have Emma verbally volley with her. "No, just junk mail."

"Really?" Regina looked at Henry, then back at Emma, and she seemed pained in some way.

"Hey, yeah, listen, forget that. I already have. Who’s hungry?"

"Me!" Henry, who could always be counted on to be eager for food, took the pressure off Emma.

Regina was still and silent, her gaze locked with Emma’s, and it really, really did funny things to her. Emma cleared her throat. “Um, Regina?”

Regina blinked and nodded and shook her head, and then seemed to shake herself, putting her hands in her pockets as she turned away.

"Hey, Regina? You can join us."

"No. You." Regina cleared her throat. "You go on. Good night, Henry."

"Night, Mom!" Henry pulled Emma away by the hand, dragging her as he ran back across the street and down to the next block, toward Granny’s.

Regina looked at Emma’s open window. Blinking away the blurriness, she gave a quick twitch of her hand, making the note appear in it.

 _God, why can’t I just tell her?_  she thought forlornly, tucking the maligned paper into her coat pocket and walking in the fading sunlight toward her home.

* * *

 

> _If you stop for a while…  
> _ _You will find me standing by  
> _ _Over here at the side of your life_
> 
> __(quote source: Dido, “Do You Have A Little Time”)_ _
> 
>  

"Killian, I need  _you_  to  _stop_  this!” Emma packed back and forth in front of Hook as she waved the latest note. “I  _know_  you did all this… _stuff…_ for me. And I’m  _flattered_ , really. But you  _can’t_  wait on me. It’s  _not_  gonna happen.”

"What’s all this, luv?" he said, leaning back on the desk. "What’s got you so prettily worked up? You ought to relax. Slow down."

She shoved it at him. “ _Stop it!_ " She exhaled. "Just  _stop_  it.”

He threw up his hand and stood. “All right. All right. Whatever I’ve done. I’ll stop. If it’ll make you happy.”

"Yes.  _Very._  Now,  _please_. I have a lot to do. Regina’s due here  _any_  minute and I still have her reports to finish.”

"Seems you’re more into pleasing the queen than having a life."

"Thank to me," Emma revealed her deepest pain, "she doesn’t have much of a life any more. I can’t forget that. I won’t forget that until I can get her to forgive me. But she won’t  _talk_  to me.”

She thought about how lost the woman had looked when she had turned down Emma’s invitation to join her and Henry for a meal. She was determined to keep trying. Maybe she should tell Henry he needed to move back in with his mom, no matter what anyone else said.

"Why don’t you write her a bloody note!" he argued back.

Emma stopped pacing, staring at the door long after Killian had left.

She was still standing there when Regina breezed in, then stopped as she looked curiously at the note still clutched in Emma’s hand. 

Emma shook herself. “Hey, Regina. I’m working on those files. You…you want some coffee?”

Regina hesitated, but coffee seemed not fraught with emotional landmines she wasn’t sure she could handle yet. “All right.”

Emma smiled at her.

"It’s been a long day," she said, moving to the station’s coffee machine and arranging them each styrofoam cups full of the dark brew. She fixed Regina’s and passed it to her.

Regina lifted it to her lips to buy herself some time and found it had been fixed exactly the way she liked it. “Busy?” Regina asked quietly.

"Yeah," Emma said quietly, leaning back against her desk. "But I’m glad you stopped by."

Regina swallowed more than she intended and felt the burn on her throat. “Oh?”

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about Henry moving back in."

 


	2. Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma finally has it out with Killian. And learns the notes are not from him. Who in Storybrooke could it be?

> I’d like to watch you sleep at night.

> _(quote source: “All I Want”, Dido)_

Emma looked around quickly and frowned. No, Killian wasn’t anywhere in Granny’s that morning, not even walking out.

She caught Ruby walking by with another patron’s order. “Hey?”

"Need something, Em?" Emma lifted the note up a bit so that the waitress could see it. "Hold on a sec, ‘k?"

Emma stared at the words, handwritten, in elegant, old-styled script. Just like all the ones before.

"So, what’s up, lady?" Ruby slid into the seat across from Emma.

"I found it under my coffee cup," Emma said. "Did Killian ask you to give this to me?"

Ruby took the note, scanned it then passed it back. “Nope. Doesn’t seem his style actually.”

"It totally is, he’s been sending me these notes telling me all the ways he wants me."

Ruby smiled big and smirked. “Sounds hot… and romantic.” Her shoulders rounded. “Wish I had someone to send me romantic notes.”

"I’m  _not seeing_  Hook,” Emma gritted out between her teeth. “Yes, I kissed him. I thanked him for helping me out when we got sent back in time to the Enchanted Forest. But that was  _all it was_. Instead he got this grand notion that we are soulmates or something.”

"True love," Ruby summed up, dreamily.

"Like I believe in that crap."

"You should, honey, you are the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming."

"Well, it sucks."

Ruby pointed at the note. “Have you told him to stop?”

"A number of times. He promised he’d back off."

"What changed? Did you go out with him last night?"

"No! I was over at Regina’s with Henry."

"Any improvement on that front with The Evil Queen?"

"Don’t  _call_  her that!” Emma defended, then sighed. “Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know. I helped Henry put his stuff in his room. Damn kid’s got a ton.”

Emma sighed. Coming downstairs, Regina had walked by her headed for the kitchen, but she’d said nothing to Emma.

"I sat down on the sofa, just for a few minutes. Woke up to Henry standing there at the door. Regina had her hands on her hips and demanded I get out."

Ruby’s eyebrows went up. “She’s not forgiven you yet, huh?”

"Can’t stand to be around me. I don’t know what else to do."

Ruby tapped the note. “You want me to toss that?”

Emma shook her head. “Nah. I’ll give it back to Killian myself. try again to explain ‘no’ means ‘no’.”

"Good luck with that," Ruby said. "I gotta get back to work before Granny threatens to skin my wolf." Ruby’s chuckle made Emma chuckle as well.

"Yeah. Thanks for the minute. Tell Granny it got you a bigger tip, ‘k?"

Ruby patted her shoulder. “Yeah.”

Emma fingered the note a moment longer as she finished off her coffee. With a sigh, she left money on the table and walked out in search of Killian Jones.

She was going to get his hook out of her if it was the last thing she did.

Regina stepped from behind the restroom wall with a sigh. 

"Oh, hey, Regina, your order’s up." Ruby turned around at the counter.

"Thank you, Miss Lucas."

"You’re welcome."

When Regina smiled briefly, Ruby said, “Em’s right, you’re not the Evil Queen anymore.”

"She said what?"

Ruby flinched. “Sorry. Just…have a good day?”

Regina nodded. “Good day.”

* * *

> you cooled my mind that burned with longing

> _(quote source: Sappho)_

Emma reached into her coat pocket to grab her car keys, coming up with a piece of paper instead. “Damn it!” She started to crumple it before she even read it. She stopped on the sidewalk then sighed and read the slip of paper. 

"You cooled my mind that burned with longing," she murmured, sinking to sit down at a table on the outside patio at Granny’s. 

In another note he had called her savior. Was he telling her she’d changed him? 

"Something the matter, dear?"

Emma’s gaze snapped up to see Regina standing over her. She quickly stood. “Nah, nope. I…uh, you need something?”

Regina looked startled, she put her hands in her pockets and took a step back. Her gaze flitted over Emma’s face.

"Please, Regina, I want to be friends again."

"Were we?" Regina replied tightly.

"I thought so." Emma reached out for Regina’s shoulder. The other woman pulled back out of reach. She retrenched. "Did Henry enjoy being home last night?"

"Yes, he did. I just returned from walking him to school."

"He still telling you about his year in New York?"

"Yes, we’ve finally moved on from a virtual tour of the city’s pizza parlors, to recounting his school days."

Emma smiled. “That’s fantastic.” 

Regina nodded. “I must be going.”

Emma swallowed; she wanted to talk more, but it was clear being around her made Regina uncomfortable. “Well, if Henry ever stops talking, I’d be willing to share the rest.”

Regina’s eyes took on a wide, alarmed and yet hopeful expression. “If that happens.”

"Yeah," Emma bit at her lip. "I will."

"Good day, Emma."

"Regina."

Regina watched Emma walking away and sighed softly at her inability to say outright how she felt. She wiggled a finger toward Emma’s car dash while Emma crossed the street to the Sheriff’s station. She’d find it later.

And maybe Regina would ask Henry something about New York that he wouldn’t know, so she could talk to Emma again.

* * *

> I want to be the friend you fall hopelessly in love with…take into your arms and into your bed and into the private world you keep trapped in your head.

> _(quote source: ––[Unravel Me](http://www.epicreads.com/books/unravel-me/9780062085535/) by Tahereh Mafi)_

Emma growled. Her lie detector must be off. Either that or Killian was telling the truth. This time she had shown him the notes she’d received, including the one on her dash when she had gotten to her Beetle to drive home that night. He’d looked them over, and a dark expression had taken over his face before he shoved them back across the table at her. “Who the hell sent you those?”

"You didn’t?"

"Why would I write such claptrap? My style’s a little more direct, if you hadn’t noticed."

"But…"

"Who else are you seeing?"

"No one."

"Someone has fallen pretty hard for your charms, dear. Almost as sickly sweet as your father might write to your mother."

Emma sat back on the dock railing where she’d come to meet him, looking out over the water, then at the note, then Killian before scanning the distant streets of Storybrooke, searching her mind for someone else she might have unwittingly led on.

"It has to be someone you’ve encountered a lot recently," Killian suggested, sounding helpful.

"Well, I’ve been seeing my parents, the baby…" She still had a hard time using his name, she thought with a sigh. "Henry."

"None of them would be likely candidates for this."

"Maybe my mom is coaching someone to woo me."

"I thought she liked me," Killian interjected, wounded.

Emma rolled her eyes. “She likes… Nevermind. No, this isn’t about you.”

"Someone’s trying to make time with you, luv."

Nodding, Emma looked down at the latest note. Friend. The word jumped out at her. From the rest of the note, it was clear friend was only the beginning. From all the notes, this person wanted more.

Much more.

But clearly didn’t know how to ask.

Emma shook her head as it spun but gained no traction on a name.

"Well, when you figure it out," Killian called after her as she walked away back toward town. "Tell me, so I can call the fellow out for a duel, eh?"

Emma shook her head. “Killian…” she warned.

"Just humoring… well, myself I suppose. Since that’s about all I’m going to manage to salvage from this operation."

Despite herself, Emma chuckled. She put him quickly from her mind after that.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

> _Would that I could be the peacemaker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into oneness and melody._

> _~ Khalil Gibran, The Prophet_

Emma stumbled out of Granny’s from yet another family gathering. She’d lasted several hours this time, listening to Snow and David tell every little thing that the baby had recently accomplished. She gushed, and Emma felt crushed a little more with every word. She’d held Neal, briefly, struggling with it as she reconciled the memories of not holding Henry, and then the implanted ones of holding him. Her throat choked with tension and finally she handed Neal to David, retreating to ask Ruby for a stiff drink, “In a cup” to hide she was hitting the alcohol to cope.

As hour three drew to a close, she’d begged off dessert, saying she had an early day at work. She pushed Henry toward Regina, shrugged hard into her red leather jacket, and pushed herself into the snow outside.

She hunched her shoulders against the cold, stomping to keep her circulation high and her feet warm against the stone walk to the street.

"Hey!"

Spinning in place, she looked up to see Regina grasping at a post on the patio. “Hey?” She bit her lip and swallowed.

"Are you… leaving?"

"Yeah, Henry’s with you tonight, so I thought…but if it’s not…"

"No, I… That’s fine. Are…Tomorrow then?"

Emma shook her head but also nodded. “No, yeah. I’ll call.”

Regina lifted her hand and gave a twitching little wave that made Emma frown but wave back.  _It was progress_ , she supposed. “All right. Well…good night.”

"Good night, Regina." Emma turned away, dropped her head, and shoved her hands into her pockets.

Paper crinkled in her left hand. Under the streetlamp she withdrew it and read: 

> _Would that I could be the peacemaker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into oneness and melody._

It felt like a hug from her secret admirer. Emma put the note to her eyes and sighed as her tears soaked the paper. “I wish you could too.”

"Something on your mind?" A male voice sounded nearby.

Emma looked up, dropping the paper quickly. Archie was walking past with Pongo. He smiled at her; she wanly smiled back. He stopped; she shook her head, silently telling him to go on.

She watched the psychiatrist for several moments before turning away and heading through the quiet streets to her own apartment.

Regina saw Emma through the diner window. She smiled slightly at reading the words on Emma’s lips, pleased her supportive sentiment had been received.

"Mom?"

Henry was leaning on the back of her chair at the table. “Yes, Henry?”

"Do you think you could teach me how to ride?"

Regina lifted Henry’s chin, smiling into his eyes. “Honey, I would teach you how to fly—”

He jumped on the idea, interrupting her. “Can you?”

With a wry smile, Regina shook her head. “Not something I ever learned…” But right now her heart felt light enough to try. She kissed his forehead. “It’s late. Are you ready to go home?”

"Yeah," he said. 

* * *

 

>   
> _I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me._   
> _~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning_   
> 

Emma entered the mayor’s office, looking around at the efficient bevy of activity in the outer office space. Jonas, Regina’s secretary, and Maribel, the “plant lady” were talking in quiet fervency over by the planters lined up against the windows. Emma smiled at the innocent young love playing out between the earnest dark-haired young man in his smartly pressed black business suit and patent leathers, and the vivacious nature “hippie” look of the girl, with her flowing caftan frock covered in colorful tie-dye swirls.

"They don’t seem likely," a voice said behind her.

Emma turned, smiling at Regina who had spoken low in passing by her shoulder and now stood quietly, the fingers of her hands interlaced in front of her. “Isn’t that the thing with True Love? It doesn’t really care where you come from. Only that you’re going forward together.”

Regina’s eyes glossed at Emma’s words. Immediately she felt sorry for what she’d said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean. Forget what I said. Silly kids have no idea what life’s really like.”

"But you do," Regina said. Emma followed Regina’s gaze down to her hands, now separated, fidgeting, one tucking into the pocket of her blazer before she looked up again. "Henry hasn’t actually arrived yet."

"I can sit a minute. Nothing’s happening at the station. I figured to get out while the getting was good."

Regina’s lips quirked a bit at the corner. “Perhaps you’d like to give the law enforcement report a bit early?”

Emma shook her head. “Absolutely not. I’m Emma, you’re Regina. We got a kid together. If you’ve got a few minutes, we can just shoot the breeze.” She held out her hand.

Regina looked at Emma’s hand, her fingers flexing at her side. Emma saw her eyes darken a little, which she interpreted as distress.

_Stupid Swan_ , Emma berated herself, remembering how pained Regina had been when Henry offered her a handshake when he still didn’t know who she was. “Oh, hey, sorry. That’s… Forget it.” Emma dropped her hand. “Yeah, fine. I can give you an early report.”

Regina lifted her gaze to Emma’s; the pain wasn’t quite gone, and confusion had been added to it. Emma twitched her lips, trying to say a million apologies without a single word.

"Right this way, Sheriff." Regina gestured toward her inner office. Emma took the lead, and Regina followed. She was surprised to feel the faintest touch of Regina’s fingers to her back, but then it was gone. Had she imagined it?

* * *

 

Regina turned away from Emma to close the inner office door, rubbing her fingertips together from their tingling. She looked at the clouded glass, and then over her shoulder to Emma settling in at the guest chair at the large desk. She felt like a young woman again. Desperate to make sense of the jumble of emotions in her heart, and yet giddy merely to be in the presence of the cause of those emotions.

"Something to drink?" she asked, heading for the side table and its cider decanter.

Emma didn’t answer right away. When Regina turned, holding the decanter in one hand and a glass in the other, she met the gaze of green eyes studying her. “I’d love a cider,” Emma said, her expression earnest.

She had to be dreaming. She poured as Emma watched, aware her hands were shaking a little. Emma had come to her feet and moved closer when Regina looked up again. “Thanks.” Emma’s hand curved around Regina’s partially as she took the glass.

Regina watched her drink it, watched the twitches in Emma’s throat as the woman swallowed. Green eyes sparkled when they opened again. “It really is the best cider I’ve ever tasted.”

"Taking us back to the beginning?"

Emma dropped her arm and turned partially away, looking out the window at the town. Regina drew close to her right side, looking out as well, feeling her heart hammering in her chest as Emma continued, “I wanna start us over, Regina.”

"Us? Why?" Their hands danced close together on the window sill; Regina pondered if this might be the moment. She lifted her gaze again.

"I screwed up so much."

"No one thinks that."

Emma’s gaze turned away from the town, consuming Regina’s.

Regina grasped Emma’s hand as it started up between their faces.  _God, I have so much to say_ , she thought frantically but none of the words could shove their way past the blockage in her throat. She squeezed Emma’s hand and then backed away, spun on her heel and walked from her office.

* * *

 

"Regina?" The magic cloud dissipated from around Emma’s hand. She held another note.

Her breath caught in her throat after only the first three words:

> _I love you…_
> 
> _I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me._

Her eyes misted over.  _Oh, god, it was… The notes!_  Emma’s breath out caught on a sob, of relief, of joy, of comprehension. The notes had been from Regina all along. How they had appeared, where they had appeared. What they had said.

All the things Regina had been wanting to say.

Emma stumbled for the door, pulling it open, hearing it dimly slam against the wall, the glass rattling as eyes in the outer office stared at her. But none of the eyes belonged to Regina.

"Where’d she go?" she demanded.

Jeremy, the secretary, looked at her undoubtedly wild-eyed expression and thought her mad. He was shaking, clearly caught between loyalty to Regina and knowing that Emma was the Sheriff, the Savior. “What has she…?” he asked.

"Nothing. Everything. Just…point," Emma pleaded. "I swear it’s all right."

He lifted his hand and with a shaking finger he pointed toward the stairs which led out of the building.

Emma raced after Regina.

"Regina!" In the stairwell, her shout of the woman’s name echoed off the bare concrete walls.

She slapped the wall, not sure if the woman had gone up, or down to get away. “Where are you?” she muttered under her breath.

Glowing spots appeared on the steps going up. Emma bent closer, and realized they were heel prints. 

A broad smile appeared on her lips and she swung herself upward using the handrail to launch herself, as though she might fly.

* * *

>   
> _And if my love could grow wings,_   
> _I’d be soaring in flight._   
> 

> _[Thirteen Reasons Why](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1217100.Thirteen_Reasons_Why) by Jay Asher_

 

Emma took the stairs two at a time, her heart pounding in her chest and the rhythmic thumps of her boots on the stairs cacophonously echoing in the stairwell. She hit the emergency exit to the roof, slamming both hands against the press bar, and burst out into the sunlight.

Shielding her eyes against the glare, she exhaled and screamed, “Regina!”

There was movement to the right, near the roof’s edge.  _Shit, no!_

"Stop!" She darted toward the motion and finally she slammed into the guardrail and turned to face Regina.

The woman’s brown eyes were wide and startled.

"It was you!"

Regina’s eyes closed and she bit her lip. Emma grasped her hand, keeping hold even as Regina tried to tug away.

"I was going crazy trying to figure it out."

"I couldn’t find the words," Regina replied quietly.

"But the papers. The words were… Regina…" Emma lifted a shaking hand toward Regina’s cheek, which the brunette intercepted and stepped back from. "You have the words. You wrote these." Emma held out the most recent paper.

"Not me," Regina whispered. "My magic. I…you…it’s such a mess. I never…but I wanted to…"

"So where do these come from?"

Regina gave a watery sigh. “I read. Poetry. Books. When I didn’t know what to say, the magic found something in my memories to say.”

"No one has  _ever_  done something like this for me,” Emma said. “Magic or not. It made me feel…really special.”

Regina looked at Emma’s hand, at the last note. “I collected the others after you would… discard them.” Shaking fingers reached for the most recent. “Wha…what did this one say?”

Emma pressed the note against Regina’s palm, fingers tingling. “It’s how I feel too,” she added, as Regina unwrinkled the scrap and scanned the lines.

"I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me," Emma recited, the words already burned into her memory.

Regina shook her head. “But that’s not what it says.”

Emma turned the paper in Regina’s fingers and felt the frown of confusion buckle her own brow. “And if my love could grow wings, I’d be soaring in flight,” she read from the paper. “Huh?”

"You changed it," Regina guessed. "With your magic, when you handed it to me."

"I didn’t mean to."

Emma felt giddy when she saw Regina roll her eyes. “Seriously, dear, we have to get you trained in the use of your magic. That much unintentional magic wandering around Storybrooke is simply asking for trouble.”

"So if I wanted to  _intentionally_ take you to dinner, do you think I could?” Emma asked. _  
_

"You need magic for that? I didn’t think your cooking was quite that dismal."

"My cooking is not that bad, thank you very much," Emma quipped as she walked back to the roof door with Regina at her side. She reached for the handle, only to pull it and find it wouldn’t budge. "What the—? Door’s locked."

Regina reached past Emma for the door, wrestling with the handle for a moment. She pressed the palm of her hand to the flat of the door, a wisp of her magic sliding into the seam between the door and the frame. Something metallic in the door clicked and shifted, but when Emma tried the handle again, it still wouldn’t budge.

"Seriously?" Emma fisted her hand and slammed the side of it into the door. "We’re locked up here?"

Regina looked at the note, now with Emma’s thoughts on the paper. “I think you could do this,” she said. “Do you really feel this way?” she asked, getting Emma’s attention to the note.

"I…guess? I’ve never been…When you told me you’d give me a happy ending, I…it’s the most amazing I have ever felt, Regina. Like every weight just fell off my shoulders."

"Then grow your wings, and…fly." Regina took Emma’s hand, as she had that day at the town line, only no gloves separated their touch, skin to skin.

Emma leaned forward, and Regina felt the slight pull from her hands. Soon she was in Emma’s embrace, feeling Emma’s cheek against hers.

When the woman pulled back, Regina only had a second to register green eyes before she closed her own and felt Emma’s lips press against her mouth.

There was a sudden throbbing wind all around them. Emma gasped; Regina’s eyes sprang open to see two large white feathered wings cresting from Emma’s back. The gusts of wind were from the powerful wings beating against the air.

Emma’s arms clutched her and the two of them lifted off from the top of city hall.

She felt a slight jolt as Emma smiled and apparently lost concentration. Burying her face in Emma’s shoulder, she felt Emma’s chuckle in her chest and the powerful grip of her arms. The arms she had dreamed many nights of sleeping within in Neverland were finally, at last, encircling her in protection and love.

She felt a surface at last beneath her feet and peeked around Emma’s shoulder to see they were at street level. People had come out of the many businesses to stare at them.

She started to pull away, attempting to straighten her suit, and appear aloof and unaffected, but Emma wouldn’t let her go.

The wings vanished. Emma took her arms from around Regina’s back and instead took her hand, seemingly unaffected by their gawking audience. Her eyes only for Regina, a little wide, a little amazed, but filled with an amazing amount of love.

The silence made Regina nervous. “Emma?”

"Are you all right?" Emma asked.

"Yes. You?"

"That," the blonde sputtered and glanced up to the top of the four story building where they had just been. "All me, huh? My magic?"

Regina nodded.

"Mom! Ma!" Henry came running up the street toward them. "That was amazing!"

Emma and Regina both turned, gathering him into their bodies. Regina sighed as she felt Emma’s arm slide around her own back, and in turn, she gave over to the need and slid her own arm around Emma’s hip.

She met Emma’s gaze above Henry’s head and smiled. “I love you,” she said, speaking directly to Emma.

"I love you, too, Mom," Henry mumbled against her chest, squeezing tighter.

Emma chuckled and ruffled Henry’s hair. “Dinner at Granny’s?”

"Sure."

"You get us a booth. Regina and I will be right behind you."

They watched Henry run off, Ruby following him into the diner. Granny cocked her head at them, crossing her arms over her chest. “You care to explain that?” Her gaze swept up to the top of the building and then down to focus on both of them again.

"True Love Magic," Emma said.

"And you, Your Majesty?”

Regina looked at Emma who still had her arm around Regina’s back. “My secret’s out.”

###

_~ fin_


End file.
